Opening Round: If You’ve Got It, Flaunt It

The UFC has several different cameras set up for each and every card they put on. Much like the NFL, college football, the MLB, the NBA, etc. the use of instant replay continues to become bigger and more important. So, why not in MMA?

But, why stop there? If we have the technology – and it is obvious that we do – why not take advantage of it?

UFC President Dana White has always been on the forefront of taking the next step to improve mixed martial arts, so I call on him to do the right thing and make instant replay a must-use for any and all MMA cards that have the capability.

That referees and officials at all UFC, Strikeforce, Bellator, ProElite and other promotions events would be able to view a replay of a questionable action and make a fair and right decision. Remember when the finals of the recent Bellator heavyweight tournament were declared a no-contest after what looked like an intentional strike to the groin? Well, replay would have given the official a chance to make that call right.

One downside of replay is that it could really have a strong impact on how a match is played out, as constant stops to view low-blows or illegal strikes would really play havoc on a fighters’ mental approach. But, if the replays happened between rounds, wouldn’t that work? Even adding 30 seconds onto a fight to determine a clear-cut, fair winner instead of an asterisk-laden loser is a small price to pay when you think about it.